WLANs make it easier and faster for more users to connect to the network, and make connectivity a possibility in areas that cables can't reach.

Tolly Wi-Fi 6 Podcast

Benefits

Here's why Wireless LAN is so popular:

There's a universal standard for connecting devices wirelessly, from set-top boxes and tablets to computers and home appliances

It's simple to connect new devices, with universal Plug 'n Play (uPnP) interoperability

Users can be mobile, not tethered to a desk, and maintain connectivity up to 300 feet (100 meters) from an AP

Flexibility: network administrators can connect devices that are difficult to reach with a cable

Data is securely transmitted thanks to WEP and WPA security protocols

WLAN standardization, frequencies and speeds

The Institute for Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) developed the first specification for WLAN technology (called 802.11) in 1997. Subsequent WLAN standards have evolved across multiple frequencies with variations from the original 802.11b through to 802.11n and the latest 802.11ac. The term Wi-Fi is controlled by the Wi-Fi Alliance, a consortium that promotes 802.11 products and ensures interoperability among them. If an 802.11 product is certified by them, it earns the Wi-Fi label.

While it's markedly slower than wired LANs at average speeds of 11 Mbps, WLAN technology is getting ever faster, with 802.11ac reaching up to 2.5 Gigabits per second, with a theoretical max speed of 7 Gbps: exciting news for impatient Wi-Fi users everywhere.

The security problem for WLAN networks

In the past, WLAN security has been challenging to say the least. Wireless traffic is easily recorded, so eavesdroppers can gather your company data: logins, passwords, network addresses... Intruders can steal your bandwidth or masquerade as you, with dire legal consequences. WLAN security protocols include Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) and the newer Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA), which is back-compatible and features improved data encryption, integrity checking and user authentication.

WLAN news from ALE

Related Products

Network Integration Services

Planning a new deployment or upgrade on your network? Don't go it alone. Our integration services team can be with you every step of the way.